Analysis of Google CEO's Views on Technology and AI at the World Economic Forum

This presentation provides an analysis of the views expressed by Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, on technology and artificial intelligence at the 48th World Economic Forum. The presentation discusses the main issues addressed, including Google's shift towards AI, risks of big data to security, risks to security and surveillance, digital democracy, and workplace diversity. It also evaluates the panelists' views using analytical frameworks and references relevant literature.

Critical
Management

Introduction
• The following presentation is an analysis on a recent
meeting at the 48th World Economic Forum, with the
Google CEO, Sundar Pichai
• The Forum was conducted in Davos, Switzerland.
• Several important aspects were discussed in the interview
mostly related to technology and technological
advancements, the advantages they offer and how can we
minimize the negative impacts.

Issues Discussed
• The main issue being discussed was technology and its impact on
the society and the role of Google in it.
• The specific aspects that were addressed in the interview
included:
• Google’s shift in interest towards Artificial Intelligence
• Risks of Big Data to security and role of AI in it
• Risks to security and totalitarian surveillance due to technology
• Digital democracy and Digital Governance
• Workplace diversity and workplace culture at Google

Background of the Issue
Benefits
• Benefits of
Technology
• Improves engagement
• Improves retention of
knowledge
• Encourages Individual
or Self Learning
• Improves collaboration
• Helps to learn useful
skills
• Better access to
information
• Helpful for
teachers
• Saves time
• Improves mobility
• Improves cost
efficiency
• Supports
innovation
• Artificial
Intelligence
• Benefits of AI
• Reducing human errors
• Easy automation of
manual work
• Does not need breaks
Can be used regularly
• Optimized performance
• Fast speed
• Improved efficiency
• Reducing costs of training
• Reducing
operational costs
• Can learn on its
own
• Can mimic human
cognition
• Can help to
improve customer
service

Background of the Issue
-Risks
• Expensive
• Cannot accurately replicate human cognition
• Emotionally detached
• Lacks creativity
• Can increase unemployment
• Safety risks

Critical Evaluation of the views
expressed by the panelists at WEF
• Some of the important factors which were discussed by
the panelists included:
• Google’s shift in interest towards Artificial Intelligence
• Risks of Big Data to security and role of AI in it
• Risks to security and totalitarian surveillance due to technology
• Digital democracy and Digital Governance
• Workplace diversity and workplace culture at Google

Critical Evaluation of the views
expressed by the panelists at WEF
• Google’s shift in interest towards Artificial Intelligence
• While addressing this concern, several important factors were
pointed out by Mr. Pichai
• The Core Mission of Google has always been to help people organize
their data
• Gmail launched 10 years ago helped people organize emails
• AI can now help people organize their personal data
• AI can improve efficiency of the process making the process easier,
seamless and highly mobile for users
• AI can help to engage with the users in a better manner
• In effect AI can help Google to improve its local presence in every
country
• Such aspects can be supported by many studies that shows the potential
of AI in communication, information sharing and user experiences.

Critical Evaluation of the views
expressed by the panelists at WEF
• Risks of Big Data to security and role of AI in it
• Addressing this concern, it was pointed out that concerns about AI and
data security was important
• Increase in concerns would drive discussions as it did with the issue of
global climate change
• International initiatives and discussions are needed for AI related concerns
• AI also has profound potentials, which needs to be harnessed properly
• Ethical and Safety Charters needs to be developed for AI use
• Demilitarization of AI
• These are important concerns according to many authors and needs to be
discussed on.

Critical Evaluation of the views
expressed by the panelists at WEF
• Risks to security and totalitarian surveillance due to technology
• It was pointed out that the only way we can prevent technology to push us towards totalitarianism is to have global conversations
and collaborations
• Developing global multilateral framework
• Involving G7 and G20 Discussions
• These strategies have helped to address some important global concerns such as global security, environmental protection and
human rights and can be a useful strategy to address AI related challenges.
• Digital democracy and Digital Governance
Technology have also enabled more thorough surveillance and have affected privacy
Pressures have also been made to censor contents which also can affect freedom of expression and digital democracy
It was however pointed out that it is up to the societies to decide where to draw the line on the freedom of expression that can help Google to
develop its own policies

Critical Evaluation of the views
expressed by the panelists at WEF
• Workplace diversity and workplace culture at Google
• Google has a focus on improving its workplace diversity
• It engages more women to join its technical workforce
• An important factor pointed out by Mr Pichai that technology
affects every single person, and therefore it is vital to have equal
representation of every group, especially women in the workforce.

Analysis of the groups view on the chosen
issue using analytical frameworks
Paradigms and critical research
• Using the term ‘Internet’ as an idea instead of a product showed an
important paradigm shift towards the acceptability of AI
• Issues regarding the trust and security of under data, placing the user at
the front of the business design also implies an important paradigm of
loyalty to customers.
• Works of critical research could be seen in the way the advantages and
disadvantages of AI were outlaid
• Policies such as the dual internet speed policy that was recently
implemented in the US were also critically evaluated to understand its
potential.
• Another important paradigm that was briefly discussed in the interview was
digital surveyllance and how it can infringe the privacy

Analysis of the groups view on the chosen
issue using analytical frameworks
Ideology and discourse
• The important ideologies that the interview explored were:
• Earning the trust of the users
• Engaging with the users in a clear and transparent manner
• Ensuring safety for AI
• Using self regulation and self governance
• Engaging in social development
• The discourse of engaging in international discussions on AI in
order to develop international charters, frameworks, policies and
laws was an important idea.

Analysis of the groups view on the chosen issue
using analytical frameworks
Labor process theory
• During the interview following important aspects were
also identified:
• AI as an instrument can facilitate work and improve interaction
between labor and object
• AI can help to increase engagement with labor
• Users can be involved in the development of policies that govern AI
use
• These factors can be associated with the labor process
theory since
• The theory focuses on the involvement of labor and object
• The theory materializes labor in use values

Analysis of the groups view on the chosen issue
using analytical frameworks
Financialization and agency theory
• “Google is a steward of user’s data”
• This implies Google’s role as an agency in the
safeguarding of user’s data
• Google aims to make the data portable, mobile and easily
accessible by the user, while preventing it from theft
thereby acting as stewards of user’s data
• Google’s algorythms also aims to help new enterperuners
to achieve success
• This shows Googles focus on the users interests

Analysis of the groups view on the chosen
issue using analytical frameworks
- Narratives
• Several narratives were used in the interview:
• Narrative on the advantage/disadvantage of AI
• Digital Democracy and how technology is changing it
• Freedom of expression on digital platforms
• These narratives were nicely interconnected within the
larger discussion about technology in todays society and
businesses
• The views were well balances, supported by evidences and
explained clearly

Analysis of the groups view on the chosen
issue using analytical frameworks
Social construction and hierarchy
• In the interview it was pointed out that:
• The society has the responsibility to decide where to draw the line on
freedom of expression and on what can be considered
acceptable/unacceptable
• The social constructs of trust and respecting the freedom of
expression was a cornerstone of the interview
• Google also aims to help the local communities though more
personalized interactions, funding and better communication as
strategies towards social constructions
• From the interview, it was also understood that the organization
understood the position of the users at the top of the hierarchy

References:
• Helbing, Dirk, and Evangelos Pournaras. "Society: Build digital democracy." Nature News 527, no. 7576 (2015): 33.
• Helbing, Dirk, ed. "We Need to Build AN Upgraded, Digital Democracy." In 43 VISIONS FOR COMPLEXITY, pp. 19-20. 2017.
• Hislop, Donald, Rachelle Bosua, and Remko Helms. Knowledge management in organizations: A critical introduction. Oxford
University Press, 2018.
• Lafuente, Guillermo. "The big data security challenge." Network security 2015, no. 1 (2015): 12-14.
• Luppicini, Rocci. "Technoethics and Digital Democracy for Future Citizens." In Digital Media Integration for Participatory
Democracy, pp. 1-21. IGI Global, 2017.
• Özçiloğlu, Mustafa Mikail, Mehmet Fatih Akay, and Dan Heil. "On the Application of Artificial Intelligence and Feature Selection in
Sports Science Education and Research: A Case Study." In 5th Cyprus International Conference on Educational Research,. 2016.
• Russell, Stuart J., and Peter Norvig. Artificial intelligence: a modern approach. Malaysia; Pearson Education Limited,, 2016.
• Schoenick, Carissa, Peter Clark, Oyvind Tafjord, Peter Turney, and Oren Etzioni. "Moving beyond the turing test with the allen ai
science challenge." arXiv preprint arXiv:1604.04315 (2016).
• Steels, Luc, and Rodney Brooks. The artificial life route to artificial intelligence: Building embodied, situated agents. Routledge,
2018.
• Wickert, Christopher, and Stephan M. Schaefer. "Towards a progressive understanding of performativity in critical management
studies." Human relations 68, no. 1 (2015): 107-130.

Thank you